(Reuters) -U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said on Thursday during a visit to Papua New Guinea that Washington was not seeking a permanent base in the Pacific Islands nation under a new defence agreement.
Papua New Guinea (PNG) and the United States signed a defence cooperation agreement in May that sets a framework for the U.S. to refurbish PNG ports and airports for military and civilian use..
The text of the agreement shows that it allows the staging of U.S. forces and equipment in PNG, and covers the Lombrum naval base which is being developed by Australia and the United States.
Austin met with PNG's Prime Minister James Marape on a visit to discuss the deepening defence ties.
"I just want to be clear, we are not seeking a permanent base in PNG," Austin told a news conference in the Papua New Guinea capital Port Moresby.
He said the two nations were deepening an existing defence relationship, and would modernise PNG's defence force and boost interoperability.
"Our goal is to make sure we strengthen PNG's ability to defend itself and protect its interest," he added.
The United States and its allies are seeking to deter Pacific island nations from forming security ties with China, a rising concern amid tension over Taiwan, and after Beijing signed a security pact with Solomon Islands.
Marape on Thursday said the defence cooperation with the U.S. would build up PNG's capability, and was "not for a war joint preparation".
"USA do not need PNG's ground to be a launching pad," he told reporters in response to questions.
"They have bases in Philippines, in Korea, elsewhere, much closer to China," he added.
PNG's parliament is yet to ratify the deal, which has been questioned by some opposition party politicians concerned at upsetting major trading partner China. Marape said his government prioritised diplomacy.
"In the Pacific we are not about war, we are about peace, tolerance and of course promoting our values of democracy, Christianity and living well with each other. The USA has always been showing that character also in their global footprint," he said.
(Reporting by Kirsty Needham and Alasdair Pal in Sydney; Editing by Tom Hogue and Michael Perry)